Bill Cosby's lawyers move to dismiss charges against him

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Photos:Bill Cosby: Evolution of an icon

For more than 50 years, Bill Cosby has been one of America's leading entertainers: a noted comedian, an Emmy-winning actor and an innovative producer. However, his reputation has been tarnished by allegations of rape. Here's a look at how Cosby, shown here in 2014, has changed through the years:

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Photos:Bill Cosby: Evolution of an icon

Cosby, shown here in 1969, began his career in New York nightclubs as a standup comedian. His clean-cut style became a career mainstay.

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Photos:Bill Cosby: Evolution of an icon

Cosby feeds one of his children in the mid-1960s. Cosby first made his name with his comedic storytelling, often based on his childhood experiences. In 2011, SPIN magazine put "To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With" at the top of its 40 Greatest Comedy Albums of All Time list.

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Photos:Bill Cosby: Evolution of an icon

Cosby won three Emmys for his portrayal of Alexander Scott, an Oxford-educated spy who travels undercover with his tennis-playing partner, Kelly Robinson (Robert Culp) in "I Spy," which aired on NBC from 1965 to 1968. Cosby was the first African-American to star in an American dramatic series.

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Photos:Bill Cosby: Evolution of an icon

In 1972, Cosby starred in "The New Bill Cosby Show," a variety program. Among his guests was Ray Charles, whose version of "Night Time Is the Right Time" would play such a standout role on "The Cosby Show" years later.

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Photos:Bill Cosby: Evolution of an icon

In 1972, Cosby helped create "Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids," a Saturday morning TV series that ran for more than a decade. It later became a 2004 live-action film starring Kenan Thompson as Fat Albert.

After "The Cosby Show" was another sitcom, "Cosby," which aired from 1996 to 2000. Cosby played retired airline agent Hilton Lucas. The show also starred T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh.

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Photos:Bill Cosby: Evolution of an icon

President Bill Clinton chats with Cosby and TV correspondent Linda Ellerbee at a 1996 conference on children's television. Cosby, who has a doctorate in education, is a strong believer in using television to send educational messages.

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Photos:Bill Cosby: Evolution of an icon

In 1997, Cosby suffered the loss of his son, Ennis, who was fatally shot on the side of an Los Angeles freeway. Cosby's series' "Little Bill" used the phrase "Hello, friend" -- Ennis' regular greeting -- in tribute to his son.

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Photos:Bill Cosby: Evolution of an icon

Cosby shares a laugh with baseball great Hank Aaron after they both received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002. The medal is America's highest civilian award.

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Photos:Bill Cosby: Evolution of an icon

Cosby and comedian Jerry Seinfeld embrace in 2009 at the annual awarding of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Cosby declined the prize twice before accepting. His mother read Twain to him as a child -- a huge influence on his storytelling.

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Photos:Bill Cosby: Evolution of an icon

Cosby accepts the Marian Anderson Award in 2010 at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia.

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Photos:Bill Cosby: Evolution of an icon

Cosby speaks at the 20th anniversary of the Rev. Al Sharpton's organization, the National Action Network, in 2011. In recent years, Cosby has been outspoken on the subjects of poverty, family and responsibility in the black community.

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Photos:Bill Cosby: Evolution of an icon

Cosby speaks in 2012 during the 100th anniversary celebration of the Beverly Hills Hotel & Bungalows supporting the Motion Picture & Television Fund and the American Comedy Fund. The comedian is active in several charitable causes.

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Photos:Bill Cosby: Evolution of an icon

Cosby performs at the Buell Theater in Denver in 2015.

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Photos:Bill Cosby: Evolution of an icon

Andrew Wyatt, a Cosby spokesman, raises his fist as Cosby exits a courthouse in Norristown, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, June 17. Cosby was facing three counts of aggravated indecent assault from a 2004 case involving Andrea Constand, an employee at his alma mater, Temple University. But it ended in a mistrial after a jury was unable to come to a unanimous decision. Constand was the first of more than 50 women who have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct. Cosby has denied wrongdoing.

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Story highlights

The comedian is facing felony charges of sexual assault

More than 50 women have come forward to publicly accuse Cosby of assaulting them over four decades

He denies any wrongdoing

(CNN)Attorneys for Bill Cosby have filed a motion in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, asking for the charges against the comedian to be dismissed.

Cosby is facing felony charges of sexual assault.

They stem from accusations made by former Temple University basketball coach Andrea Constand in 2004. A probable cause affidavit filed by investigators alleges that Cosby "sought to incapacitate" Constand by giving her a mix of pills and wine that sent her slipping in and out of consciousness and left her unable to consent to sexual activity.

In a statement Monday, Cosby's attorneys claimed that the charges against their client were "illegally, improperly and unethically brought by District Attorney Kevin Steele and his office."

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According to the statement, the charges "violate an express agreement made by the Montgomery County District Attorney in 2005, in which the Commonwealth agreed that Mr. Cosby would never be prosecuted with respect to the allegations of sexual assault made by complainant Andrea Constand.

"This agreement, made for the express purpose of inducing Mr. Cosby to testify fully in Ms. Constand's civil litigation against him, led Mr. Cosby to give deposition testimony in 2005 and 2006 without invocation of his Constitutional rights against self-incrimination. Now, to fulfill campaign promises, the newly-elected District Attorney has repudiated the agreement and has based these criminal charges on the very testimony Mr. Cosby gave in reliance on the Commonwealth's non-prosecution agreement," the attorneys said.

They further argued that the charges should be dismissed because of the delay in bringing them.

And they ask, in the case that the charges are not dismissed, that Steele and his office are disqualified from further involvement.

Constand is one of at least 50 women who have come forward to publicly accuse Cosby of assaulting them over four decades. He has said his accusers are lying, and denied any wrongdoing.

Pennsylvania law has a 12-year statute of limitations for sexual assault cases. In 2005, prosecutors declined to charge Cosby in the Constand case, citing a lack of evidence. But late last year, the new district attorney -- Steele -- was elected, and he swiftly reopened the case.

Cosby is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on January 14. If eventually convicted, he could face a maximum of 10 years in jail.